The Nigerian Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions had earlier recommended the suspension, citing alleged violations of the Senate Standing Rules.
In addition to her suspension, the committee also ordered the suspension of her salary, allowances, and those of her legislative aides, while withdrawing her security escorts.
Presenting the recommendation on Thursday, the committee’s chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, stated that Natasha’s actions had brought the Senate and its presiding officer into disrepute.
“The Senate should suspend Senator Natasha for six months for violating the Senate Standing Rules 2023 (as amended) and for bringing the Senate President and the institution into public disgrace,” Imasuen declared.
The committee also outlined conditions for reconsidering the suspension, including the requirement for Senator Natasha to submit a written apology before any review by the Senate.
The suspension is set to take effect from March 6, 2025, and comes with several restrictions. These include locking up her office for the duration of the suspension, barring her from entering the National Assembly premises, and requiring her to return all Senate properties in her possession.
The Ethics Committee’s decision followed its outright dismissal of Senator Natasha’s sexual harassment petition against Akpabio. During Wednesday’s plenary, the committee ruled that the petition was inadmissible due to procedural violations, declaring it “dead on arrival.”
“No senator shall personally sign a petition. Since she signed it herself, it makes it inadmissible before this committee,” the Ethics Committee ruled.
Despite the controversy, Senator Natasha’s suspension has sparked public debate, with many questioning the Senate’s handling of the harassment allegation and the broader implications for legislative accountability.
